Thursday, 12 November 2009

Backbend month Dropback and up x3

I've been lazy as far as backbends are concerned. I would do my five Urdhva Danhurasanas and then more often than not give coming up a miss. I probably got around to dropping back three times a week and even then I'd do one and call it a day. Had always felt the whole back bending aspect of Ashtanga to be a little over rated and out of proportion to the rest of the practice. Still feel a bit that way

But due to the knee problem I had recently, I decided to work on backbends for a while, and it's kind of turned into backbending month. I've had some good Kapo's, grabbing my heel, managed to walk in and brush my heel with my fingertip in UD and now my dropback and come back up seem to be coming together.

Wish I'd focusing on this more months ago.

Yesterday was the first time I dropped back and came straight back up again three times in a row. Each time I came up was a little smoother/easier. It's still untidy, there's still a lot of rockin' and rollin' and my feet are a disgrace but it felt good. there's a video on YouTube where the guy drops back, rocks gently back and forth and on the third rock forward comes smoothly up, that I would like to be able to do. If I can make today's practice consistent it looks possible.

Sometime or other though I'm going to have to address my feet. One of the drawbacks of practicing at home is that you can allow yourself to get into some very bad habits.

Nice one! I've got the same issue with my feet. I call it "spatchcock feet"... y'know, like the spatchcock chicken dish with its legs splayed out! The past couple days have also been backbend days for me. There's definitely a backbend buzz in the air!!

Although most mysore teachers will chastise you for lifting heels when dropping back / coming up its better alignment wise to do this than to flare the toes out sideways (pretty much every other yoga style has no gripes with heel lifting)

Once you get the hang of doing it with heels up you can then work on grounding the heels over time.

Hongkongstuey, seeing that name in my inbox made my day, thanks for the comment. I think your right I'd rather lift my heels than have them splayed out like, how did you put it Skippity, spatchcock feet. But don't think I've ever been a lifter, just a splayer. Probably best to learn without either bad habits, too late for me, but how the hell do I break it.

A Reminder

from Kalama sutra, translation from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi This blog included.

"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.

"Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them. Buddha - Kalama Sutta